The films of Europe have never had the same appeal for me as the ones mentioned yesterday from Asia, and I have to admit that my knowledge of Latin American (or Spanish) films is pretty sparse. This may simply be a result of teaching so many Asian students when I was working in Randolph and getting interested in their culture, but it also reflects a difference in themes and emphasis. Very few films from Europe have hit me with the same punch as To Live or The Color of Paradise, but let's start with one that does:
Italy
The Bicycle Thief-This simple story of a father who gets a job in postwar Italy and then has the bike needed to get to work stolen is a masterpiece of Italian neorealism about the relationships of fathers and sons.
La Strada-Anthony Quinn as a thuggish strong man in a traveling circus and Giulietta Masina as the girl who loves him.
Germany
Nosferatu-The only silent film that holds its appeal. One can appreciate silent films for their historical importance, but this one, despite the antique acting, still has the power to haunt your nightmares.
Run, Lola, Run-A wonderful movie experiment-what if you could run back the tape of life and make corrections-is a fun comic, dramatic, action romance film.
France
Day for Night-A charming movie about making movies. If you've ever made even a 10 minute film, you'll love and understand this one.
And then there are a million very well crafted and extremely watchable films that just don't have that special impact for me. Here are three great ones.
Breathless
Rules of the Game
Le Samourai
Brazil
Black Orpheus-A very special musical exploration of life among the poor during Carnaval.
Welcome
A curiosity shop is a place of odds and ends in a wide range of categories. One never knows what one will find on any visit, and that is the goal of this blog. Here you'll find postings on doings around Easton, the world's environment, history, recipes, fly fishing, books, music, and movies with many other things thrown in as well. Hope you enjoy it and keep coming back.
No comments:
Post a Comment